What's the Scoop on Sugar Substitutes?
Humans naturally crave sweets. But in excess, sweets add surplus calories to the diet which contributes to weight gain. As a result, many people have turned to artificial sweeteners, such as Equal and Sweet‘N Low, as a way to reduce the consumption of calories without having to give up their favorite foods.
The following chart compares various artificial sweeteners. For comparison, note that natural sugar has four calories per gram.
Type
|
Type |
Also
known as |
Is
made from |
Calories per gram (kcal/g) |
Sweetness compared to table sugar (sucrose) |
Is
found in |
You
should also know |
|
Saccharin |
Sweet’N Low, Sweet‘N Low
Brown, Sweet Twin, Necta Sweet |
coal tar |
0 |
200—700 times sweeter
|
Diet beverages, baked
goods, jams, sugarless gum, canned fruit, candy, dessert toppings, salad
dressings |
Suitable for baking;
pregnant women are advised to use it in moderation |
|
Aspartame |
Nutrasweet, Equal, Sugar
Twin |
two amino acids (aspartic
acid and phenylalanine) |
4* |
160—220 times sweeter |
Diet beverages, diet fruit
drinks, sugarless gum, dairy products |
Not suitable for baking |
|
Acesulfame-K
(Acesulfame potassium) |
Sunett, Sweet & Safe, Sweet
One |
carbon, nitrogen, oxygen,
hydrogen, sulfur and potassium atoms |
0 |
200 times sweeter |
Diet drink mixes, sugarless
gum, puddings, gelatin desserts, baked goods, frozen desserts |
Suitable for baking |
|
Sucralose |
Splenda |
adding chlorine to sugar |
0 |
600 times sweeter |
baked goods, frozen
desserts, diet beverages, candies |
Suitable for baking |
|
Neotame |
Neotame |
two amino acids (aspartic
acid and phenylalanine) |
0 |
7,000—13,000 times sweeter |
Diet beverages, dairy
products, frozen desserts, baked goods, sugarless gum |
Suitable for baking |
*Aspartame does provide calories; however, because of the intense sweetness, the amount of energy derived from it is negligible.
One final note: if you’re concerned about the ongoing controversy over the health risks of artificial sweeteners, you can relax. The scientific evidence to date has not demonstrated harm from consuming sugar substitutes in normal doses. Individuals with phenylketonuria, however, who can’t break down phenylalanine, should avoid all products containing aspartame. Although neotame does not metabolize the same way as aspartame, resulting in much less phenylalanine during the digest process, it is recommended that individuals with phenylketonuria should also use caution when consuming neotame.
- Modern Menus
Have questions regarding this article? Ask the Nutritionist.